The relationship between anxiety during critical illness and adverse emotional outcomes

Abstract

Objective: Survivors of critical illness experience compromised psychological health including the development of symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress. The aims of this study were to: (1) describe the magnitude and patterns of state anxiety reported by patients throughout their ICU stay; (2) identify factors associated with patients’ state and trait anxiety during critical illness; (3) determine factors associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression over six months after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge; and, (4) determine factors associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) over six months after ICU discharge.